On December 23, non-public hospitals in Ahmedabad had seven Covid patients. Three were in the intensive care unit (ICU), two were in the high-dependency unit (HDU), and one was in isolation and on a ventilator mattress. Twelve days later, on January 4, the number had increased tenfold to 73.
There are 49 patients in isolation, 18 in HDU, two in ICU, and four on ventilators. There are 19 Covid patients in state-run hospitals, the majority of whom are in isolation wards.
According to Dr. Bharat Gadhvi, president of the Ahmedabad Hospitals & Nursing Properties Affiliation (AHNA), personal hospitals have seen a significant increase in the previous two to a few days.
“The general profile of patients indicates that they are more than 45 years old, have a number of comorbidities, and have a previous medical history,” he said. “Many are being held in isolation due to medical advice.”
According to AHNA members, the city has 2,150 beds in non-public hospitals, including 183 ventilator beds and 367 ICU beds. The officers stated that the infrastructure could be expanded if desired. According to officers, the city’s government-run hospitals have over 1,700 beds that can be made available on short notice, and oxygen demand has remained low to date.
According to AHNA vice chairman Anish Chandarana, the majority of the patients are vaccinated, which may explain why the cases are less severe and the mortality rate is lower than in the second wave. “Compared to the second wave, almost none of the patients require oxygen,” he said. “The HRCT rating may be very low, as may the prevalence of hypoxia.” He stated that doctors prescribe remdesivir to some patients in the early stages to prevent complications.
“Some patients are also advised to take an antibody cocktail based on their condition and overall health profile,” said Dr Nirav Visavadia, a primary care physician. “However, in comparison to the second wave, the majority do not want heavy medicine or steroids.”